Locomotive crane



5 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TORJ Feb. 16, 1937. J. R. MGGIFFERT ET AL LOCOMOTIVE CRANE Filed Nov. 27, 1929 Feb. 16,1937. J, Mce F ET AL 2,071,135

LOCOMOTIVE CRANE Filed NOV. 27, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY6.

Feb. 16, 1937. J. R. MOGIFFERT ET AL I 2,071,135

LOCOMOTIVE CRANE Filed Nov. 27, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 (Mia v A TTORNEYS Feb. 16, 1937. J, R, mcglFFE T Er AL 2,071,135

LOCOMOTIVE CRANE Feb. 16, 1937. J. R. MCGIFFERT ET AL 2,071,135

' LOCOMOTIVE CRANE l 1 Filed Nov. 27, 1929 s'sheets-sheet 5 INVENTORS Jo/zzz Zamvifferf d H BY 7702711011 77212227 3 s can A TTORNEYS,

Patented Feb. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES T OFFICE LOUOMO'EIVE CRANE Application November 27, 1929, Serial No. 410,103

7 Claims.

This invention as indicated relates to locomotive cranes, and has more particular reference to the type of cranes employed in handling logs and for accomplishing like. objects. The objects of our invention briefly stated are to provide a machine having an improved arrangement of the operative parts as well as a novel means for supporting the driving or propelling means of such crane, the improved means presenting none of. the undesirable features found in structures now in common usage.

In the construction of cranes of the type above referred to, the drive shaft by means of which the carriage supporting the crane is propelled, must of necessity pass coaxially through the king pin about which the bed of the crane revolves. Considerable difliculty has been experienced in connection with the drive shaft so passing through the king pin due to the fact that when a load of'sufficient magnitude is suspended from the boom the equilibrium of the revoluble bed will be overcome and the drive shaft passing through the king pin therefor subjected to a bonding or shearing force. When the load supported by the boom is sufiicient to overcome the equilibrium of the revoluble table, the king pin must of necessity be utilized to prevent a tippingtof the table and transmit a load to the under carriage. imFurther difiiculties in crane construction have been experienced in the transmission of the stresses from the boom to the bed and thence toithe supporting carriage. In order to properly sustain the heavy boom and its associated load, revoluble carriages of the type now commonly employed have been cumbersome and improperly designed from the standpoint of the internal stresses set up therein by the boom. -glitz is an object of our invention to provide a structure for the revoluble bed in which the loads incidental to the manipulation of the boom shall buwdlrectly carried by main supporting members forming a portion of the revoluble bed structure. A fnrther object of our invention is to provide agmeans whereby the above mentioned difficulties; incidental to the drive shaft for the carriage passing through the king pin shall be entirely dame away With. Other objects of our invention will appear as the description proceeds. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly painted out in the claims. 'lihe annexed drawings and the following descniption set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings: 6

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of the machine comprising the principles of our invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary diagrammatic side View of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of the revolving bed of the machine shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a part section part elevation of a portion of the machine shown in 'Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary part section part elevation of a portion of the machine shown in Fig. 3 taken at right angles to the plane of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a part section part elevation of the carriage for the conical rollers.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and more especially to Fig. 1, the machine here illustrated comprises a boom l which is connected at'its lower end to a revolving bed 2 which has suitably mounted thereon the frame members 3 and 4. The boom l is shown held in elevated position by means of the cable 5, the ends of which are secured to drums 88 and 89 respectively, cable 5 passing over pulleys E5 which are revolubly mounted in the oscillatory member 1 secured to the boom I at 8. Pulleys II and I2 are shown depending from the boom I, one of such pulleys serving as a means of support for the cable l3 which passes therearound and is wound on the drum 65, the cable I 3 being the one which is commonly employed in lifting or otherwise manipulating the heavier work which a crane of this type is called upon to perform. The revoluble bed 2 is suitably supported on the annular member l5 which is here shown to be in the form of a large spur gear. The annular member I5 is in turn rigidly supported on the carriage frame structure I 6 which is supported by means of the trucks I I which are in turn supported by the wheels 18 in Fig. 2 shown resting upon the track l9.

Referring to Fig. 3, the sills 20 and 2| which make up the primary load carrying portion of the revoluble bed 2 are shown with members 22 integrally united therewith and in alignment with the webs thereof, to which projecting elements 22, the lower ends 23 of the boom I are pivotally secured by means of the bifurcated ends and the pins 25 passing through aligned openings in such elements 22 and such bifurcated ends 24. The sills 20 and 2| extending longitudinally of the revoluble bed 2 are here shown supporting the major portion of the boom operating mechanism which will now be explained.

The means for providing the motive power of this machine as well as the prime mover for the drums upon which the cables are wound, is in Fig. 3 diagrammatically represented as a gasoline engine 26 which has its crank shaft 27 extending therefrom and to which is connected a drive shaft 28 by means of the coupling 29. Rigidly mounted on the drive shaft 28 are plural driving means 39 and 3! respectively here shown as common gear wheels. The driving elements 38 and 2| intermesh with driven elements 32 and 33 respectively which are loosely mounted on the shaft 34. Coaxially mounted on the shaft 34 are drums 35 and 36 which have surrounding them frictional clutching members 31 and 38 respectively. Rigidly mounted on the shaft 34 is a driving means 39 which is in communication with a driven means 49 rigidly mounted on the shaft 4!, by means of the belt or other suitable means 42. Loosely mounted on the shaft M are a plurality of driving means 43 and 44 adapted to rotate with the shaft 4% when the friction means 45 and 45 are respectively clamped on the drums 41 and 48. The driving means 43 and 44 are respectively in communication with the driven means 49 and 50, the gear 44 directly meshes with gear 59, and the gear 43 drives the gear 49 by means of the idler element 5I which is mounted on the shaft 53 and which may be journaled at one end 54in the side member of the revolu'ble frame 2 and at the other end in the bearing member 55. The driven means 49 and 59 are rigidly supported on the shaft 55 to which is suitably secured at one end the beveled driving means 57 which is in communication with the beveled driven means 53 more clearly shown on Figs. 4 and 5. The shaft 4! as shown on Fig. 3 has rigidly supported thereon a driving means 59 which is in communication with the driven means 69 and 5! respectively mounted on the shafts 92 and 93. Coaxially mounted with the shafts 92 and 63 are winding drums 84 and 65 which may be respectively caused to rotate by frictionally engaging them with the gears 59 and 6! by operating the thrust screws 9 I The drums B4 and 65 are provided with brakes 98 and 99.

The shaft 92 has loosely supported thereon opposed beveled driving means I9 and II which are in mutual contact with the beveled driven means I2 which is fixed on shaft 52a. Shaft 12a is securely mounted in a bearing fixed between beams 12b and 720. Keyed to the lower end of the shaft 260 is a pinion lZd which meshes with the gear shaped surface of the annular member I5 for rotating the revoluble bed of the machine. Gears I9 and II may be alternately driven by shaft 52 by engaging either clutch I9 or clutch 'I I.

The driven element 69 which becomes a driving element when in communication with the driven element 13 drives the shaft I4 through such element I3 which is rigidly supported thereon. Coaxially mounted on the shaft I4 are opposed beveled driving elements I5 and I6 respectively which have in communication therewith the beveled clutch elements "fl and I8 adapted to communicate with the complementary elements 79 and 89 as the shaft I4 is axially displaced by means of the sliding element 8| acting in the circumferential groove 82 formed therefor on the shaft I4. As the shaft i4 is axially displaced, one of the beveled driving elements I5 or I6 is brought into communication with the beveled driven element 83 which is rigidly mounted on the shaft 84. The shaft 84 has rigidly mounted thereon the driving element 85 which is adapted to coact with the driven element 86 for revolving the shaft 81 and its associated winding drums B8 and 89.

The shaft 63 has mounted thereon a sheave 99 which is frictionally engaged to said shaft by means of the tension spring 99' and when a clam shell bucket is being operated by the crane, a line is run from the side of the bucket to this sheave, the tension of the line preventing the bucket from twisting, and the various shafts 34, 4|, 92 and 63 have coaxially associated therewith means 9| and 9| hydraulically or otherwise actuating the frictional engaging means for the drums mounted on the respective shafts.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the driving means 51 hereinbefore described as terminally mounted on the shaft 56 which is revolubly supported in the bearing 92 is in communication with the beveled driven member 58 which is coaxially mounted, on thevertical drive shaft 93 on which at its other end is mounted beveled driving means 94. The beveled driving means 94 is in communication with a beveled driven means 95 loosely mounted on the shaft 91 which is fixed in supports 98 and 99. The shaft 9? has rigidly mounted thereon a driving means ml which is formed integrally with beveled means 95, and is in communication with the axles I92 of the trucks i? by means of the power transmission means I93 and I94.

The trucks I! have formed thereon annular members I85 adapted to receive the tubular ends I96 of the aligning elements IQ'I which are mounted at I98 to the carriage frame I6. The carriage frame IE, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is composed of built-up structural steel shapes suitably riveted or otherwise joined to provide a suitable means for supporting the annular element I5 and the revoluble bed I which rests on such annular element I5. The carriage frame l6 has united therewith, on its lower surface, a member I09 which has laterally extending arms III] adapted to be connected to the carriage frame I6 and has downwardly extending therefrom arms III which provide supports for the members 98 and 99 hereinbefore described. A portion II2 of the member I09 extends upwardly into an aperture II3 formed centrally in the carriage frame I6. Pressed into the portion I 52 and rigidly secured thereto is the king bolt 93. Secured to the sills 20 and 2| of the revoluble bed 2 is a downwardly extending member M4 which is adapted to engage the king bolt 93'.

The downwardly extending member H4 has a circular recess I I 5 formed centrally of its lower portion, in which are secured a plurality of circumferentially spaced rollers H9 by means of the retaining element I ll. Centrally of the upper surface of the member I I4 is a square recess H8 adapted to laterally and longitudinally support a block I I9. The block I I9 in turn supports the thrust bearing I20, which is securely held in place by means of the axially adjustable collar I2I secured to the periphery of the king bolt 93 by means of the screw threads :22. The king bolt 93 is terminally provided with bushings I23 and I24 having circumferential flanges and I26, respectively, adapted to be supported in apertures formed therefor in the ends of the king bolt 93'.

Interposed between the ends of the king bolt 93 and the beveled driven and driving means 58 and 94, respectively, are wearing plates If? and I28. The beveled driven means 58 is axially secured to the shaft 93 by means of a feather key 58'. The threaded collar I29 provides means for the proper adjustment between the driving means 58 and the driven means 94, taking up the looseness caused by the wear of plates I2! and I28.

The revoluble bed 2 of themachine is supported on the frame It of the carriage by means of the annular gear-shaped member l5, as hereinbefore described. This annular member 5 5 has its upper surface beveled inwardly to receive the conical rollers I35, as diagrammatically illus trated in Fig. 3. The conical rollers I35 are sup-- ported and secured in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6. The rollers I in Fig. 6 are shown of the type commonly employed and are revolubly mounted by means of oppositely opposed conical rollers I3I which travel in the races I32, the inner race being supported by the shaft I33 which is mounted in the bracket member I3 3. The shafts I33, upon which the conical rollers I38 rotate, are so arranged in the bracket I34 that the axes of such shafts I33 intersect at the vertical axis of rotation of the revoluble bed 2. The bracket I is oscillatorily supported by the shaft I35, which is journaled in suitable support members I 35 formed on the lower surface of the revoluble bed 2. The shafts 135 for the two forward pairs of rollers are mounted substantially in alignment with sills 2t and 2!, respectively, and the third pair of rollers is in the rear centrally between sills 2i) and 2|.

The operation of the machine will now be briefly described. The power means 26, which may be an internal combustion engine, causes the crank shaft 21 to rotate, which drives the drive shaft 28 through the flexible connection 29 and rotating such shaft 28 causes a rotation of the driven means 32 and 33 at different speeds, due tothe fact that the drive means 3!! and 3! which, respectively, actuate the driven means 32 and 33 are of different diameter. The driven means 32 and 33 are loosely mounted on the shaft 34 and are permitted to rotate freely thereon until one or the other of the drums 35 or 35 is frictionally engaged by either of the members 7 3'! or 38, which causes the shaft 34 to rotate with one or the other of such driven means 32 and 33. This arrangement offers a selectivity of different speeds of the shaft 3 5 with respect to the shaft 28. A driving means 39, which is rigidly supported on the shaft 34, actuates the driven means 40 on the shaft H by means of the chain or other like power transmitting means G2. Loosely supported on the shaft M are the driv ing means 43 and 44, which may be respectively caused to rotate with the shaft 4! by the engagement of the proper frictional driving means with the drums associated with the driving means 43 and A l to rotate the shaft 56 either through the idler member 5! from the gear 43 or directly from the gear M, thus causing shaft 56 to turn in the same direction with shaft 3!, or in the opposite direction. The shaft 56, through the medium of the driving and driven means 57 and 58, respectively, revolubly actuates the shaft 93, which, in turn, propels the carriage by rotating the wheels thereof as hereinbefore described. The shaft Al has also rigidly secured thereto a driving means 59, which revolubly actuates the driven means and 5! which are respectively rigidly mounted on the shafts 62 and 63, respectively.

Loosely mounted on the shafts 62 and 53, respectively, are winding spools 64 and 65, adapted to receive the hoisting cables which run through blocks II and I2, respectively. When it is desired to rotate either of these spools to wind up the cable thereon, the spools 64 and 65 are frictionally engaged with gears 60 and GI, and are caused to rotate respectively with the shafts 62 and 53.

The driven means 60, which also serves as a driving means for the driven means I3 rigidly supported on the shaft I4, causes such shaft '34 to rotate and the winding spools 88 and 89 are, in turn, caused to rotate in either direction by axially moving the clutching elements 19 and to engage the oppositely disposed driving means I5 and I6, which cause rotation of the shaft 87 through the medium of the driven means 83 and the driving means 35, depending upon which one of such means '55 or IE3 is in engagement with the driven means 83. By turning the drums 88 and 89 in one direction the boom l is raised; by reversing the direction of the drums the boom I is lowered.

For causing rotation of the revoluble bed 2 of the machine, the shaft 52, which is caused to rotate by means of the driven means 55, has mounted thereon oppositely disposed driving means I5 and ll, either of which may be caused to revolve with the shaft 62 by a proper operation of clutches "l0" and II and the selected one of the driving means l'Ei or III through which the power is transmitted, causes the beveled driven means 72 to revolve in a predetermined direction, thereby causing the bed 2 to rotate with respect to the carriage frame It.

As hereinbefore explained, when the boom is supporting a load on the cables l3 or I3, such load being sufiiciently heavy to overcome the equilibrium of the bed 2, the bed 2 is caused to be inclined slightly from its horizontal position on the carriage I5. When the bed 2 is so caused to incline, the king bolt 93' which passes through the axis of rotation of the bed 2 will be cramped and will have a tendency to bind in the casting H l unless some means is provided for permitting the casting IIG to freely rotate on the king bolt 93, regardless of the inclination of the bed 2. The means for permitting free rotation of casting l M- on king bolt $3 is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. It will be seen from an examination of these figures that when the bed 2 is inclined from the horizontal, the sills Zil and 25, which form an integral part of such bed, are displaced in like I manner and the member H4 tends to bind on king bolt 93'. The tendency of member H4 to bind on king bolt 93 is suitably overcome by means of the rollers Hi: bearing against the king bolt 93.

Vertical displacement of the axis of the revoluble bed 2 which may be caused by an excessive load on the boom I, which would have a tendency to rotate the bed 2 about its portion adjacent the lower end of the boom l, is also restrained by means of the king bolt 93'. The attempted vertical movement of the revoluble bed 2 at its central portion due to the stresses set up, as hereinbefore explained, is counteracted by the collar lZi bearing against the thrust bearing I20 carried by the block lit in the member lid, which is rigidly united with the sills 2! and 28 forming an integral portion of the revoluble bed 2. As the axis of the tipping of bed 2 and its attached casting H4 is always transverse, that is, at right angles to a line passing through the center of the bed 2 and the boom l, the lower bearing'surface of the block H9 is in the form of a segment of a cylinder, the axis of the segment of the cylinder being parallel to the axis of inclination of the bed. Thus an even pressure is exerted on each of the numerous balls in the bearing I20.

The construction of the king bolt 93' and its associated parts is therefore seen to permit the free rotation of the bed 2 regardless of the stresses to which the bed 2 may be subjected, due to a load which may be desired to be supported by the cables l3 and I3.

The construction of the revoluble bed 2 of the machine and more especially the arrangement of the various parts with respect to the sills 2D and 2|, permits such sills to carry practically all of the main stresses incidental to the manipulation of the boom and the loads which such boom is called upon to carry. The members 23 which are integrally united with the terminal portions of such sills, lie in alignment with the webs of such sills and transmit the stresses directly thereto without in any way subjecting the rest of the bed 2 to any of such stresses, permitting the bed 2 to be of relatively light construction excepting the two sills which carry the major portion of the load. The means for revolving the bed, which, as shown in Fig. 3, are mounted on the shaft 62 are also supported by rigid members framed into the sill 20, thereby permitting such sill to carry the major portion of the stress and preventing the stress due to the rotation of such bed from being transmitted to the other frame members comprising the bed.

Supporting the conical rollers, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6, by means of the brackets I34 which are trunnioned on the shafts I35, gives a three point suspension for the revoluble bed 2, and assures the proper load for each conical roller. The arrangement of the rockers in three groups is shown in Fig. 3.

A further description of this machine is deemed unnecessary for those acquainted with the art; suflice it is to say that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the various operating parts comprising this invention Without materially departing therefrom and the results attained by the general layout of the various parts of the machine and their corelated elements effects advantages not possible with constructions now in use.

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carriage, a vertically extending tubular member rigidly associated with the frame of said carriage, a revoluble frame structure supported on said carriage and normally parallel therewith, a friction reducing bearing interposed between said revoluble frame structure and the radially outer wall of said tubular member and means for assuring a substantially even pressure on said bearing when the revoluble frame is slightly inclined from its parallel position in relation to said carriage.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carriage, a vertically extending tubular member rigidly associated with the frame of said carriage, a revoluble frame structure supported on said carriage and normally parallel therewith, a friction reducing bearing interposed between said revoluble frame structure and the radially outer wall of said tubular member, and

combination of a mobile carriage, a boom.sup-

porting frame revolubly mounted on said carriage and normally parallel therewith, a drive shaft extending through said carriage and said revoluble frame structure, a tubular element encompassing said drive shaft and rigidly secured to said carriage, a friction reducing bearing interposed between said tubular element and said frame, and means associated with said boom supporting frame and revoluble therewith about said tubular member, said means assuring a substantially even pressure on said bearing when the revoluble frame is slightly inclined from its parallel position in relation to said carriage.

4. In a machine of the character described,

the combination of a mobile carriage, a boom supporting frame revolubly mounted on said carriage and normally parallel therewith, a drive shaft extending through said carriage and said revoluble frame structure, a tubular element encompassing said drive shaft and rigidly secured to said carriage, a friction reducing bearing interposed between said tubular element and said frame, and a block associated with said boom supporting frame and revoluble therewith about said tubular member, said block having a lower surface in the form of a segment of a cylinder and against which said boom supporting frame bears when the revoluble frame'is slightly in-' clined from its parallel position in relation to said carriage, so as to assure a substantially even pressure on said bearing.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carriage, a tubular member rigidly associated with the frame of said carriage, a boom supporting frame mounted on and normally parallel with said carriage and revoluble about said tubular member, means for limiting axial movement of said boom supporting frame with respect to said tubular member, a ball hearing interposed between said boom supporting frame and limiting means, and means interposed between said boom supporting frame and bearing for assuring a substantially even pressure against the balls of said bearing when the boom supporting frame is slightly inclined from its parallel position in relation to said carriage, so as to prevent overloading of any of said balls.

6. In a machine of the character described, a carriage, a platform rotatably supported on said carriage, said platform being tiltable in the direction of the load when eccentrically loaded, a king-pin tying the platform to the carriage at the axis of rotation of the platform while leaving the platform free to rotate, a bearing collar encircling said king-pin and carried by said platform restraining it from excessive tipping or rocking movement, a thrust bearing encircling said king-pin reducing friction between said carriage and said platform, and a tension block rotatably mounted on said king-pin between said collar and said bearing and held against rotation relative to said collar, said block having a cylindrical face bearing against said collar on a line transverse to the direction of tilt of said platform.

7. In a machine of the character described comprising a carriage and a platform rotatably supported on the carriage, said platform being tiltable in the direction of the load when eccentrically loaded, in combination a king-pin tying the platform to the carriage at the axis of rotation of the platform While leaving the platform free to rotate, a bearing collar encircling said king-pin, which collar is carried by the platform and restrains it from excessive tipping or rocking movement, a thrust bearing encircling said king-pin adapted to reduce friction between the carriage and the platform, and a tension block rotatably mounted on said kingpin between said collar and said bearing and held against rotation relative to said collar, said block having a cylindrical face bearing against said collar on a line transverse to the plane defined by movement of the tiltable platform. 

